Is the corvette the car for me?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 70
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From: Houston
Is the corvette the car for me? I understand that making 550whp on stock internals is pretty risky. Wether it be the C5 ZO6 or C6. I want a car that will produce 700-800whp. Should I perhaps look into a different domestic car for this kind of power? I understand that past 550whp it will cost me over $10,000 in internals and forced induction, not to mention dyno tuning. What do you guys think? Im no expert at this..in fact I am very new to the domestic world. I come from the Japan-land LOL. Ive had enough slow/ricey days, and now I want just power and a straight-away Beast. I have about 25k to work with. That INCLUDES a used and fairly good condition car. Should I go with a used C6/C5 ZO6?
-Rick
-Rick
Originally Posted by wrxrick
I have about 25k to work with. That INCLUDES a used and fairly good condition car. Should I go with a used C6/C5 ZO6?
You should also consider a cleaner 1998-2002 F-body (Camaro/Firebird V8), an older (1997-1999) non Z06 C5 with some miles on it maybe or even an '03/'04 Mustang Cobra (can make great power on stock bottom end)...good prices on those and still cash leftover for heavy mods.
Originally Posted by LS1LT1
You can't get a clean C6 (especially NOT a C6) or C5 Z06 for that little amount of money and still have anything left for mods.
You should also consider a cleaner 1998-2002 F-body (Camaro/Firebird V8), an older (1997-1999) non Z06 C5 with some miles on it maybe or even an '03/'04 Mustang Cobra (can make great power on stock bottom end)...good prices on those and still cash leftover for heavy mods.
You should also consider a cleaner 1998-2002 F-body (Camaro/Firebird V8), an older (1997-1999) non Z06 C5 with some miles on it maybe or even an '03/'04 Mustang Cobra (can make great power on stock bottom end)...good prices on those and still cash leftover for heavy mods.
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Banned
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57
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From: Portland, OR
Best thing for you is to just get an very nice 98 fbody for about 7gs, forge the stock bottom end for another 3 add heads for 1200 flycut pistons about 150 headers intake true duals about 2800 g5x4 cam on 112lsa 500, 12 bolt 2000, 250 shot of nitrous and you should be in the low 700-800 range. all together your looking at around 17gs to do this give or take some, you will not be able to do this with a vette for 25gs. Take the other 8gs remaining and buy an lt1 vette to cruise 
Buying vette 15gs (with 100k miles), your gonna need a race diff that can handle the power that is 3500 the dif cradle thingy and all other suspension about 1500, forge stock bottom end 3000, add the cam 500, heads 1200, exhaust work 2000, intake set up about 1200 ie. intake throttle body mass air they are expensive for the vette you cant really just slap a lid on, fly cut pistons bout 150 plus tunning 500 you looking close to 30gs about 5gs over what you want to spend plus still give or take some
Buying vette 15gs (with 100k miles), your gonna need a race diff that can handle the power that is 3500 the dif cradle thingy and all other suspension about 1500, forge stock bottom end 3000, add the cam 500, heads 1200, exhaust work 2000, intake set up about 1200 ie. intake throttle body mass air they are expensive for the vette you cant really just slap a lid on, fly cut pistons bout 150 plus tunning 500 you looking close to 30gs about 5gs over what you want to spend plus still give or take some
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Teching In
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 14
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From: Baltimore, MD
If you could build an 800whp car including the cost of the car for $25k everbodies car would have 800whp. The drivetrain alone will cost you $25k if you're lucky. If all you've had is slow ricey cars you definitely don't need to be behind the wheel of an 800whp car. You obviously don't realize how fast 800whp is nor do you realize what kind of work/maintenance would need to go into such a car.
Best bet for a noob such as yourself is to start out at the bottom and work your way up. I guarantee a mild bolt ons C5 vette would be more than enough to satisfy your need for speed.
Best bet for a noob such as yourself is to start out at the bottom and work your way up. I guarantee a mild bolt ons C5 vette would be more than enough to satisfy your need for speed.
Banned
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57
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From: Portland, OR
Originally Posted by slocar mopar
If you could build an 800whp car including the cost of the car for $25k everbodies car would have 800whp. The drivetrain alone will cost you $25k if you're lucky. If all you've had is slow ricey cars you definitely don't need to be behind the wheel of an 800whp car. You obviously don't realize how fast 800whp is nor do you realize what kind of work/maintenance would need to go into such a car.
Best bet for a noob such as yourself is to start out at the bottom and work your way up. I guarantee a mild bolt ons C5 vette would be more than enough to satisfy your need for speed.
Best bet for a noob such as yourself is to start out at the bottom and work your way up. I guarantee a mild bolt ons C5 vette would be more than enough to satisfy your need for speed.
that is in no way necessary, dont even know what you would do to cost that
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: The point of no return...
If you have 25k total to spend you can get a used F-body in good condition for about 9 to 11 thousand dollars. It'll have high miles but you'll be forging internals anyways ($2700). You'll need a clutch ($800) and it would be wise to get a rear end (~$2200-$2500) as well. Fuel system will cost about $1000-$1500...and then turbo kit can cost from $4500-$6500. These prices are just general estimates and I'm sure there are things I left out. Oh yeah, heads and cam. 25k is a lot of money but it'll disappear fast. How much are used 03/04 Cobras?
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 14
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From: Baltimore, MD
Originally Posted by flyinbird
25k in just drive train???? what the hell you building???
that is in no way necessary, dont even know what you would do to cost that
that is in no way necessary, dont even know what you would do to cost that
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,123
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From: Maypearl, TX
Originally Posted by slocar mopar
If you could build an 800whp car including the cost of the car for $25k everbodies car would have 800whp. The drivetrain alone will cost you $25k if you're lucky. If all you've had is slow ricey cars you definitely don't need to be behind the wheel of an 800whp car. You obviously don't realize how fast 800whp is nor do you realize what kind of work/maintenance would need to go into such a car.
Best bet for a noob such as yourself is to start out at the bottom and work your way up. I guarantee a mild bolt ons C5 vette would be more than enough to satisfy your need for speed.
Best bet for a noob such as yourself is to start out at the bottom and work your way up. I guarantee a mild bolt ons C5 vette would be more than enough to satisfy your need for speed.
Right on!!
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Pasadena, MD
Originally Posted by slocar mopar
If you could build an 800whp car including the cost of the car for $25k everbodies car would have 800whp. The drivetrain alone will cost you $25k if you're lucky. If all you've had is slow ricey cars you definitely don't need to be behind the wheel of an 800whp car. You obviously don't realize how fast 800whp is nor do you realize what kind of work/maintenance would need to go into such a car.
Best bet for a noob such as yourself is to start out at the bottom and work your way up. I guarantee a mild bolt ons C5 vette would be more than enough to satisfy your need for speed.
Best bet for a noob such as yourself is to start out at the bottom and work your way up. I guarantee a mild bolt ons C5 vette would be more than enough to satisfy your need for speed.
800rwhp probably isn’t as much fun as you think it is. 550rwhp should be more than enough to keep you entertained. 550rwhp is too much to jump right into if you’re used to “slow rice”.
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 57
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I think 550rwhp is pretty reliable on the LS6. Although I don't have a lot of miles on my car, I beat the **** out of it and it's been very reliable.
I'm racing in the standing mile in 1 week. Stock motor, 6psi, 544rwhp.
and it's been very reliable.I'm racing in the standing mile in 1 week. Stock motor, 6psi, 544rwhp.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,123
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From: Maypearl, TX
Originally Posted by MGorman
I couldn’t have said it any better. Why do you want 800rwhp? I don’t think you can imagine the mechanical issues you’ll encounter at this power level. Not to mention the fact that an 800rwhp car is pretty much useless on the street unless you’re into roll racing starting at 100mph.
800rwhp probably isn’t as much fun as you think it is. 550rwhp should be more than enough to keep you entertained. 550rwhp is too much to jump right into if you’re used to “slow rice”.
800rwhp probably isn’t as much fun as you think it is. 550rwhp should be more than enough to keep you entertained. 550rwhp is too much to jump right into if you’re used to “slow rice”.
He's exactly right! Even with 550rwhp, you'll get sideways at 80mph...not a cool feeling. I can break the tires loose at 70 with my stock Z06 right now. My $.02 is that you could get a C5, drive it for a while, and then once you're plenty used to it, then start the mods. Just a 100 shot of N20 would be a heck of a power adder that'll keep you ahead of most everyone on the street, and it would still have excellent street manners. Plus, as several others have already noted; it will cost you a fortune just on maintenance alone with a 700+rwhp. Before I bought my Z, I was considering building my LT1 engine up with TT etc, wanting 750rwhp, but then I rode in a H/C Z06 (around 485rwhp) and I new I really didn't need more than that. Just something for you to consider. Good luck with your decision.